“Doesn’t make sense.”
Vice Chancellor Landgar Bailer of Crescent Academy slowly retraced the scene he had just witnessed. It was a sequence of utterly absurd events.
It all started with the massive surge of mana he had felt from the Training Forest next to his office. A textbook case of mana overload. Normally, even someone as perceptive as Landgar wouldn’t have noticed such fluctuations, but this time something special was mixed in with the surge—something only a wielder of black magic could detect.
Landgar instinctively realized this surge was related to the organization and, more specifically, the ‘drug’ they had been quietly distributing to students. A potent stimulant that temporarily pushed a user’s potential beyond its normal limits. Mana overloads were one of the more frequent—and difficult to control—side effects of the drug. Despite recent efforts, this particular side effect remained stubbornly unresolved.
Sensing the presence of black magic, Landgar decided to investigate personally. He didn’t want anyone else noticing and causing a commotion within the academy that had just started to settle down after the Inter-Grade Competition. He arrived at the source of the disturbance, only to retreat quietly upon seeing the unexpected scene in front of him.
In the Training Forest, Ryu, the top student of the current intake who had astonished everyone during the competition, was facing off against a human engulfed in flames. Landgar’s first impression upon witnessing Ryu’s abilities firsthand was, ‘This is not student-level stuff.’
Far from it. Ryu wasn’t just immensely skilled; his demeanor and presence were anything but those of a conventional student. He carried himself like a seasoned warrior who had seen countless battles. Despite the gravity of the situation, Ryu maintained an almost disconcerting calm. What was even more surprising was the care Ryu took not to seriously harm his opponent. Balancing power to prevent injury during combat was something Landgar knew wasn’t possible for just anyone. The gap between Ryu and the other students was glaring and seemed far too large to be from the same institution.
“Ahaha.”
After confirming that Professor Amillion had successfully handled the mana-flaring individual and left the forest, Landgar returned to his office and chuckled uneasily in his usual chair. When he had first seen Ryu’s performance during the Inter-Grade Competition, he had thought Ryu could be a promising asset for the organization. Born into a common family, no immediate relatives to speak of, and more than capable skills made Ryu an ideal candidate. That’s why he had planned to meet him personally as soon as his schedule opened up.
“But who sent him?”
However, after personally witnessing Ryu’s abilities, Landgar’s impression changed entirely. He was certain Ryu was no ordinary student but a spy infiltrated into the academy for some unknown purpose. Luckily, Ryu and Professor Amillion hadn’t detected the traces of black magic, as it had long been lost throughout the continent, and the fiery nature of the mana overload had erased much of the evidence.
“Ryu…”
Landgar resolved that he must meet Ryu soon, likely the very next day. The incident in the Training Forest was sufficient pretext for the meeting. More importantly, if Ryu was sent by the Church, action would be required immediately. Landgar’s expression grew more serious.
“How… could it…”
“You must know… it’s too late.”
“…”
Professor Amillion’s expression darkened further. The middle-aged man in the white lab coat shook his head and exited the room, leaving Amillion to ponder. Although he questioned whether he should have even overheard such a conversation, it would have to remain unspoken, as Professor Amillion had instructed him to stay and wait.
‘Cain is tragic, but…’
Amillion’s gaze fell upon Cain, who lay on the bed, unconscious after collapsing during the ordeal. Cain Hover had missed the critical period to stabilize his body after the mana overload. His future would likely entail never being able to use mana again. Fortunately, his life had been saved.
“d*mn…”
Professor Amillion muttered under his breath. Such scenarios were difficult to face directly.
‘How do I navigate this…’
While he mourned Cain Hover’s misfortune, he knew his own issues were more pressing. While handling Cain, Amillion had seen moves he shouldn’t have—continuous spatial teleportations, the wielding of the Black Shadow Sword, and even a release of ominous black mana.
“Do you think you may leave now?”
Given the awkwardness, I decided to speak up.
“…No. There is more to discuss.”
“The situation with Cain seems dire though.”
“…”
Amillion’s gaze shifted back to Cain. After a prolonged silence, he sighed deeply before standing up.
“Let us relocate.”
“Where to?”
“To my office.”
Saying so, Amillion briskly exited the room with an unexpectedly swift mood shift from moments before when he mourned Cain’s condition. This only fueled apprehension.
Clunk-clunk…
The office wasn’t far from the treatment room. Amillion ensured my following and quickly paced ahead, leaving me to trail behind. Surprisingly, during our walk to the office, he asked no questions, leading to an uncomfortable silence.
’Should I sell Yuria out again?’
Upon reflection, it felt like the most practical solution. Ironically, it almost seemed easier now that Royce St. Claire had uncovered my identity before. With this knowledge, I could spin a more believable tale to explain my abilities.
Thud!
We quickly reached Amillion’s office.
“Please seat yourself over there.”
“Yes.”
“Hoooooo. First things first…”
Amillion let out a long sigh before starting.
“Could you explain how Cain came to this state?”
“Ah.”
The inquiry was straightforward but unforeseen. I had anticipated questions about my identity or powers, though evidently, that wasn’t the case.
“I’m not entirely sure either. The boy started screaming and lost control.”
“Just like that?”
“Yes. There was some light sparring before that, but nothing unusual for students.”
“Hmm.”
“Though, thinking about it, the boy seemed to lose control after yelling… Ah!”
Mid-explanation, a memory struck.
“No, he drank something.”
“Drank?”
“The boy consumed something from a small bottle, some kind of potion. After drinking it, he went berserk.”
Amillion had momentarily forgotten about this as he focused on concocting an alibi for my identity. It was clear that Cain’s behavior was suspicious. A sudden increase in power and a subsequent loss of control were not typical.
“You’re right. Was there any potion among Cain’s belongings?”
“None that I saw.”
“It might still be at the scene. Drinking a potion was certainly what set off his loss of control…”
Amillion looked increasingly serious. In hindsight, it was a hundred percent clear. Cain wasn’t inexperienced at controlling his mana, having performed exceptionally well during the admission exams. His magical prowess was solid and controlled, making it unlikely that his emotions could escalate to a mana overload.
“I’ll have the investigating team check immediately. However, Ryu, there are numerous explanations required from your end as well. Starting with that sword.”
Ah, here came the interrogation I had been dreading. Amillion’s gaze was sharper now, more intense than when inquiring about Cain.
“Where did you acquire this sword?”
“Trying to dodge the truth won’t help. I saw everything.”
“…”
I was aware of Professor Amillion’s reputation. The nickname ‘Penetrating Gaze’ wasn’t assigned lightly. Renowned for his ability to read mana, standing in front of such a person while using spatial teleportation and wielding the Black Shadow Sword seemed futile in disguise.
“Alright, here’s the deal.”
“As expected.”
“I am not here solely as a regular student.”
“Figured as much.”
Even revealing such a bombshell didn’t faze Amillion, indicating he had anticipated this.
“Eh, whatever.”
“I’m affiliated with the Prisis Family.”
“…Pardon?”
“And I work under Yuria Prisis.”
Finally, a reaction. While he had remained unfazed earlier when I revealed that I wasn’t a regular student, this admission caused Amillion to frown, showing disbelief.
“If you don’t believe me, feel free to verify with Yuria Prisis herself.”
Silence followed as Amillion digested the information. It wasn’t ideal revealing hidden enrollment to an academy professor, but options were scarce. Amillion remained silent for an extended period.
